A total of 29 players born in Cuba have played at least one game in Major League Baseball during the 2026 season, according to a count published by Pelota Cubana, confirming a historic presence of players from the Island in the best baseball in the world.
The figure exceeds the 26 Cubans that MLB officially registered in the Opening Day rosters for 2026, which is already a historical maximum for Cuba, breaking the previous record of 23 achieved in 2016, 2017, and 2022.
The most important thing is that the list is not finalized: there is still more than a month left in the regular season, and several Cuban players remain in the Minor Leagues awaiting their chance for promotion.
With the September roster expansions on the horizon, "there is still room for new names to be added to this list," noted Pelota Cubana.
The Cuban representation in this campaign brings together very different profiles: established figures, players who have returned to the highest level, and young athletes who have received their first opportunity in the Major Leagues.
Among the established names, standout players include Yordan Álvarez (Houston Astros), a candidate for MVP with a .317 batting average, 36 home runs, 88 RBIs, and a 1.040 OPS, alongside veterans such as Aroldis Chapman, Jorge Soler, Randy Arozarena, Yandy Díaz, Raisel Iglesias, Adolis García, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
The new generation is also taking the spotlight: Miguel Vargas (Chicago White Sox) hit 28 home runs in August, making history for that franchise, while Andy Pagés (Los Angeles Dodgers) kicked off the season as the batting leader in MLB.
There were also memorable debuts: the pitcher Orlando Ribalta made a big statement in his debut with the Washington Nationals on April 14, pitching a perfect inning with no runs, hits, or walks.
Another story of perseverance is that of César Prieto, who returned to the Major Leagues with the Cardinals in August to fill in for Lars Nootbaar, marking his third call-up to the Majors.
The most significant collective milestone of the season occurred on July 14 at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia, where seven Cubans were selected: Yordan Álvarez, Andy Pagés, Aroldis Chapman, Raisel Iglesias, Randy Arozarena, Yandy Díaz, and Miguel Vargas.
That participation was the second highest in the history of the event for Cuba, only surpassed by the eight Cubans in the 2023 All-Star Game.
The complete list of the 29 Cubans in MLB during 2026 includes Franco Alemán, Raynel Delgado, Kendry Rojas, Yunior Tur, Lázaro Estrada, Víctor Mesa Jr., Luis Morales, César Prieto, Edgar Quero, Andy Pagés, Orlando Ribalta, Yariel Rodríguez, Víctor Mederos, Yennier Cano, Miguel Vargas, Andy Ibáñez, Johan Oviedo, Luis Robert Jr., Yordan Álvarez, Randy Arozarena, Adrián Morejón, Adolis García, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Cionel Pérez, Yandy Díaz, Yoán Moncada, Raisel Iglesias, Jorge Soler, and Aroldis Chapman.
With the September calls yet to come, "the number could still increase, as there is more than a month left in the calendar and several players continue to seek an opportunity from the Minor Leagues," concluded Pelota Cubana.
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